What would you do with $10,000?

[OBrien]

I would pay off £6,323.91 of my student loans and then cry when I realise that I'd still have about that much again to pay off.

... or I might just say "Sod the debt, I'm going travelling." My current plan vis-a-vis travelling is to get the Eurostar to Paris, a train to St. Petersburg, then take the Trans-Siberian Express to the Eastern edge of Russia and couch surf back across all of Europe and Russian Asia. That would be pretty sweet.

[Webzter]

I would put it in the emergency savings fund and be glad I have a bigger cushion.

I also want to avoid lame answers - no paying off your debt, giving it to charity, or lending out to someone. Investments are acceptable, but borderline.

Well, fine then, if I actually have to spend it. I'd finally buy the Everyman's Library Contemporary Classics Set and build some proper bookshelves in my office. I know it's quaint these days, but I still really like physical books.

The rest would go to finishing the work I want to do in the yard/garden.

[OBrien]

That's... insanely sensible. I don't think I'd be able to do anything that non-reckless with so much cash.

[PictureSarah]

Been a while since my last response - where I said I'd use it for a down payment on a house + a trip. We have the house now...so I'd combine it with the money we're about to get out of our mortgage, and remodel the kitchen, laundry room, half bath, fix up the garage and re-do the electrical in the house. Anything that was left over = trip.

[Frenetic Pony]

I actually have, for a while, gotten to live the dream. For almost a year I got to sit on my ass, all day, and do nothing.

It was boring as hell. You don't want to do that. Not unless you're Jeff Bridges in "The Big Lebowski" maybe. But for me, and for most people, its boring as hell.

I would instead travel to Italy and see how many places I could con my way into. I'm fairly good at lying and etc. It would be interesting to see what museums and etc. I could get into if I just dressed and acted right. Wander through the Vatican, dressed, however it is the average person that can go places, act like I have a purpose, see how many cool pictures I can take with my phone of places others can't go.

[Little Richie]

I also want to avoid lame answers - no paying off your debt, giving it to charity, or lending out to someone. Investments are acceptable, but borderline.

Well, fine then, if I actually have to spend it. I'd finally buy the Everyman's Library Contemporary Classics Set and build some proper bookshelves in my office. I know it's quaint these days, but I still really like physical books.

The rest would go to finishing the work I want to do in the yard/garden.

I really like this idea. I have always wanted a library room with nice bookshelves.

Personally, I would build a listening room designed for one or two people. Amazingly flat response, and a close to perfect environment.
I wouldn't go to the crazy audiophile levels with the actual system, that can always be upgraded.

[Роберт]

Personally, I would build a listening room designed for one or two people. Amazingly flat response, and a close to perfect environment.
I wouldn't go to the crazy audiophile levels with the actual system, that can always be upgraded.

It's kinda hard to say what "perfect" is for recreational listening. You wouldn't want it to be an anechoic chamber, but you don't want it too lively either. Where in between those two extremes is perfect?

You might have some panels that are broadband absorbers on one side but reflective on the other side. Diffusion, maybe?

[Little Richie]

Personally, I would build a listening room designed for one or two people. Amazingly flat response, and a close to perfect environment.
I wouldn't go to the crazy audiophile levels with the actual system, that can always be upgraded.

It's kinda hard to say what "perfect" is for recreational listening. You wouldn't want it to be an anechoic chamber, but you don't want it too lively either. Where in between those two extremes is perfect?

You might have some panels that are broadband absorbers on one side but reflective on the other side. Diffusion, maybe?

Рад тебя видеть Bob,

Personally if I had all the time I needed, and a larger budget I would start with anechoic flat, and work up from there in terms of reflections ect. until I found the best for me. Based on the fact that we are biological, I'd argue that there is no "perfect" room for everyone, but I really don't know how varied hearing is person to person.

[Gornur9]

$10,000
Well, I may use it to have a trip, a long trip.
Just go around somewhere and enjoy time.

[Роберт]

Personally, I would build a listening room designed for one or two people. Amazingly flat response, and a close to perfect environment.
I wouldn't go to the crazy audiophile levels with the actual system, that can always be upgraded.

It's kinda hard to say what "perfect" is for recreational listening. You wouldn't want it to be an anechoic chamber, but you don't want it too lively either. Where in between those two extremes is perfect?

You might have some panels that are broadband absorbers on one side but reflective on the other side. Diffusion, maybe?

Рад тебя видеть Bob,

Personally if I had all the time I needed, and a larger budget I would start with anechoic flat, and work up from there in terms of reflections ect. until I found the best for me. Based on the fact that we are biological, I'd argue that there is no "perfect" room for everyone, but I really don't know how varied hearing is person to person.

Круто. ))

'twould be pretty cool to have an anechoic chamber. I've heard those things are disorienting to be in. I think a true one would be out of the 10k budget, but I guess you could get pretty close for cheaper.

I have so many cool gadgets I'd like to buy I'd blow throw 10k so easily it's not even funny. Give me the money, tell me I have one weekend to spend it, and the hard part would be staying within the budget.

A good RV?
A trip to Europe?
A new computer?
Nice scotch and rum?
A bigger vehicle?

Heck, an Allen and Heath GS-R24 + the monitors for a 5.1 surround system would already put me back around 10k, without any room treatment. And I'm not sure I'd have a good place to fit it. It'd be nice, though!

Say, does any one have $50,000 that they want to give to me with the "you have to spend it on yourself this weekend" restrictions? I'd be able to do a lot, then.

[gorcee]

A couple weeks vacation with the girlfriend, unless I can use it for part of a down payment on a house without that being considered lame

[emceng]

Personally, I would build a listening room designed for one or two people. Amazingly flat response, and a close to perfect environment.
I wouldn't go to the crazy audiophile levels with the actual system, that can always be upgraded.

It's kinda hard to say what "perfect" is for recreational listening. You wouldn't want it to be an anechoic chamber, but you don't want it too lively either. Where in between those two extremes is perfect?

You might have some panels that are broadband absorbers on one side but reflective on the other side. Diffusion, maybe?

Рад тебя видеть Bob,

Personally if I had all the time I needed, and a larger budget I would start with anechoic flat, and work up from there in terms of reflections ect. until I found the best for me. Based on the fact that we are biological, I'd argue that there is no "perfect" room for everyone, but I really don't know how varied hearing is person to person.

Круто. ))

'twould be pretty cool to have an anechoic chamber. I've heard those things are disorienting to be in. I think a true one would be out of the 10k budget, but I guess you could get pretty close for cheaper.
.

An RF anechoic chamber, used, could be had for maybe $100k. A sound anechoic chamber is going to be more, depending on size.

[Роберт]

An RF anechoic chamber, used, could be had for maybe $100k. A sound anechoic chamber is going to be more, depending on size.

Well, you could do a hemi-anechoic chamber for around the 10k budget.

[Metaphysician]

10,000 dollars? I would buy a car with some and use the rest to get as far into completing my degree as possible. I know those probably qualify as "lame" answers but my life situation doesn't even really allow me to consider "fun" options.

[bobbo]

I'd buy myself an Android smartphone and tablet, new gaming rig, new headphones (and an amp to go with them) and a vast amount of bourbon. Realistically I should really keep it for paying for a Masters degree. But a smartphone and lots of whiskey sounds much more fun.

[Little Richie]

Heck, an Allen and Heath GS-R24 + the monitors for a 5.1 surround system would already put me back around 10k, without any room treatment. And I'm not sure I'd have a good place to fit it. It'd be nice, though!

Say, does any one have $50,000 that they want to give to me with the "you have to spend it on yourself this weekend" restrictions? I'd be able to do a lot, then.

Allen and Heath GS-R24 . MMmmmm
Better idea: let's all pool our 10k and make one amazing studio.


As far as lame options go, I would pay rent, buy food, and get out of debt to my roommate.

[Obby]

What I'd actually do: Put it towards my school debt. I have a lot of it.

Given the constraints of the thread: I'd probably put it towards a new car. Mine is a good "A to B" kind of car, but it's nearing the end of its life (almost 200k miles) and it's starting to show. Though, I also have a down payment on a house to save for, and a trip to the west coast USA to save for (living on the east coast and having never been that far west before). So... those are my top three "impractical" choices.

[A Lurker]

Okay, so what I would really do is save it for the next two semesters of college. Yeah, lame. If I absolutely had to spend it though, then I'd take buy one kick ass computer, like $1000, so actually just kick-ass compared to my current one.Then some wonderful speakers, cause no computers complete without those. Following that I'd take me and my girlfriend to Germany for a while. See the sites and all that fun stuff.

[Brickmack]

I'm not really sure how much this would cost (because I just got the idea a few seconds ago), but I figure I can build my own 2-3 person (Extra seats just on the off chance I meet someone to travel with...) airplane for less than 10k (excluding fuel). Fly between a few countries, land at random places, say hi, have an adventure or 2, then use any remaining money on a new computer. Its absurd, but it sounds fun, and a great use for $10k